• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Confirmed cases of pertussis in Negros Occidental have further risen to 36, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ma. Girlie Pinongan disclosed yesterday.
Of the 100 pertussis-related cases in the province, Pinongan also reported that 50 turned out negative, based on the findings of the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM).
PHO has so far logged one pertussis-related death, in the previous months.
Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection, according to the Department of Health. It is marked by a severe hacking cough, followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like “whoop.”
From January to June 1 this year, the Bacolod City Health Office reported 16 positive cases of pertussis, with also one death. Of the 53 probable pertussis cases in the highly urbanized city, a total of 33 turned out negative, with four others pending verification by the RITM.*
